These Arms That Hold Me So Tightly
by MewSara100
Summary: Two hearts have finally met in the middle, both carrying one, never changing emotion, love. Towards each other, no less. Ryou and Ichigo, and vice versa...They both love one another. RxR!


**Alright! This'll be my second entry for a contest! Ryou and Ichigo! RxR!**

"Ryou?"

"Hmm?"

"Why are you in here?"

"We're supposed to be dating, remember? I came here, because things were getting so weird over at the cafe..." at last he'd bothered to turn to her, his golden tresses of silken hair hung elegantly before his mysterious eyes, which shown with a brilliant aqua resilience, all their own. His handsomely sharp complexion began to fade, replaced by one of warmth and some other odd emotion, which seemed quite new to him.

The moon shone brightly, boldly in the sky, its magnificent silver shine reflecting off of his features, allowing her a glimpse of the true Ryou, the softer, gentler Ryou. The ebony velvet blanket, in which the moon was cradled, had been dotted beautifully with so many tiny, glimmering stars.

This sight alone was enough to transfix him that night. Or, at least that's what she'd thought. However, she'd no clue what was going on behind those bold aqua pupils of his.

"Ryou...I know you don't want an arranged date or anything with some random girl, but I don't think what your doing now is any healthier." her voice, a small, graceful melody in the night, rung exuberantly within the drums of his ears, causing his very body, his very core, his very heart, to shake.

"What do you mean, Strawberry? I mean, sure, we've never really gotten along, but you're the one who agreed to date me." a layer of cold soon found its way back into Ryou's voice, due to his naturally closed and empty instinct. He didn't want to hear what she would say next, didn't want to feel the pain of being dumped by her tear at his very soul.

Even if he'd had to use some lame excuse to be close to her like this, he was perfectly content with what had been going on. She'd moved on from Aoyama, finding him to be of no real comfort to her during her years of turning, in which she had begun to mature. She'd gotten tired of trying to impress him, with it always ending up in failure.

She'd seemed just as lonely as he that day. That day that he'd finally gotten up the courage to confront her with those feelings of his, which he'd berried deep within his heart, in a desperate attempt to find security.

...

"So, you're saying that some girl just randomly came up to you and proposed?!" it'd been closing time that night, and she'd been drained of almost all of her energy when he'd come to her.

"Yeah...Well, it really wasn't a proposal, more of a confession...So, will you do it? I mean, you don't have a boyfriend, I don't have a girlfriend. I mean, even if you don't have those kinds of feelings towards me, we're both in the same boat. Both of us feel the need for someone to talk to, right?" it was lucky that she had been too exhausted to notice the blush that crept onto his cheeks, illuminating his beautifully tanned skin.

"I...guess so...Sure, I'd be glad to." coincidentally, she too held the same blush, although she hadn't taken any notice to it.

"That's a relief, because I'd already told her I had a girlfriend..." smiling sheepishly as he watched her eyes widen in mild surprise, before she finally closed them and shook her head.

"You're just lucky I'm tired, or I'd chew you out so fast, it'd set a world record." sighing in mock annoyance, she reopened her eyes and smiled oddly up at him. "You've told me about your family...so, I think you need to meet mine now."

"Huh?..." was his only answer, as he stood there, his arms dangling limply at his sides, as his eyes went blank with confusion.

"Just consider it payment for my time." smiling light heartedly, she leaned up, onto her tiptoes, and gave the tip of his nose a light kiss before walking back to the dressing room.

...

It had been just like that, that the two's odd relationship had begun. He'd been over nearly every night to dinner with her and her parents, or out to dinner with Ichigo. They'd even gone as far as to see a mushy romance movie together.

However, the odd part in that last one, was that it hadn't been Ichigo that had chosen the movie, it'd been Ryou.

He'd hoped, secretly, that it would spark some kind of romantic idea within her, causing her to want to confess to him, so that he could do the same, in the real way, not having to say that it's just to help him in his mini crisis.

However, the girl had soon moved on, gotten a boyfriend, and was now in Paris. The two knew, yet it seemed as though neither cared to bring up the fact. That is, until now.

"Listen for a sec, because I really don't know how to say this..." her voice seemed to fade out blankly, as if she were deep in thought, contemplating what she would say to him, that wouldn't hurt his feelings.

"Strawberry...?" he could feel his eyes grow watery, and his body began to shake. However, he forcefully held back those desperate tears, he commanded brutally that his body stop quivering. In sadness or not, if she decided that her work was done, then that was that. It didn't matter if he said differently or not. It was her own heart.

"Ryou...I think you should...Well, what I mean to say is-" abruptly, she had been cut off by Ryou, whose cold, emotionless words took her by surprise.

"You don't have to explain yourself, Strawberry...if you want to call it off, then just do it already..." bowing his head low, he allowed but a single tear to slide down his cheek, dripping silently onto his pants in the end.

"That's not what I was about to say, Ryou...If you don't want to pretend that I'm your girlfriend anymore, then you don't have to...I understand. I mean, you're really cute, and pretty funny. You actually have a side to you that can really feel something...I have to admit, I'll miss you treating me differently...but you probably want to go out and do more, and date prettier women than me."

Raising his head slowly, confusedly trying to take in all of what he'd heard, Ryou began to think, 'Am I really treating her that differently?...If only she realized that these were my true feelings...that this is honestly what I feel for her. Would she change her mind then?'

"Ryou?" tilting her head slightly to one side in confusion, she began to eye the boy, worried that he might be angry, or in shock, or not really care at all.

"Ichigo...What if I were to tell you...that these past few weeks, I've been showing you a tiny bit of what I really feel for you? What if I were to say-what if I told you I loved you? What if I meant it, with everything that makes up my existence? Would you return those feelings with your own? Would you say you loved me too?"

As she gazed upon him, her entire attention transfixed on the boy before her, aseat at her window seat, his entire body sprawled loosely, totally vulnerable to anything that would come his way. However, something happened in that single moment that caused her to do what she did. She didn't really know if it had been impulse back then, or if it had been actual love, but all she could remember of that night was his lips on her own, with her closing the gap.

As they pulled apart, both frazzled and confused, yet both feeling the exact same thing, they hadn't been expecting what they should have known would come next...

"So, when will I get grand babies? Do you guys need help planning the wedding? I'll take you dress shopping, just as soon as he gives you the ring!" spinning around swiftly, in shock and surprise, the two watched Ichigo's mother and father, hugging each other lovingly, as they stood in the doorway.

"Huh?..." was all she could bring herself to say as she stared up at her parents, her own arms still resting comfortable on his shoulders.

"Actually, I was going to wait till tonight...but, now that it's official, I guess it's fine..." smiling warmly towards Ichigo, he casually stood at his full hight, lightly guiding his love to the place he once sat, so that she wouldn't fall over.

"Oh, here it comes!..." her mother and her father both stared on in fascinated wonder as the boy got down slowly to one knee, reaching around in his pocket a moment before whipping out a tiny crimson velvet box.

As he lifted the lid in Ichigo's direction, their eyes never leaving one another's, he tenderly removed the golden ring from its place and held it up to her, before asking her that one important question...

"Will you, Momomiya Ichigo, marry me, Shirogane Ryou, and make me the happiest man in the entire universe?" their eyes met, soft aqua to warm chocolate, a warm smile graced her lips as she began to speak, her voice shaky, as tears of joy began to brim within the corners of her eyes.

"Yes, Ryou, I will..." the ring went on easily, and fit perfectly. His hands worked gently, nimbly as they held her own. He stood, taking her with him, and pulling her into his arms, wrapping his body around hers as the two shared a long, lingering, tender, passionate, deep kiss.

The deal was sealed, and two became one that night. As it turned out, even the oddest of circumstances can lead to love...

**Just to let you all know, the random girl that wanted to date Ryou had been placed there to simply give him a reason to ask Ichigo on a date!**


End file.
